Saturday, March 27, 2010

Perkasa claims Malays deserve 67pc wealth

Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali today claimed Bumiputeras should rightly own 67 per cent of the nation’s economic wealth, as it was the majority group in Malaysia.

He also insisted the government must include affirmative action in the New Economic Model (NEM), adding that Bumiputeras’ economic equity must reach 30 per cent before the country reaches its goal as a developed nation in 2020.

“Malaysia comprises 55 per cent Malays and 12 per cent of other Bumiputeras, which [is] total [of] 67 per cent Bumiputeras. Therefore, the nation’s wealth must be 67 per cent for Bumiputeras but we get 30 per cent only,” the Malay rights movement president said at the inaugural Perkasa congress here today.

“Therefore it must be explained that in a democracy, the majority is regarded as the national agenda. The country’s economy must be divided in accordance with the distribution of the population,” added the independent Pasir Mas MP.

Ibrahim stressed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak must defend the rights of the Malay community even as he tries to reform the country’s economy, if he expects to gain their backing.

“If the New Economic Model is based on Articles 152 and 153 of the nation’s constitution, then I am confident that Perkasa and Malay Consultative Council (MPM) will give their full support to Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the prime minister of Malaysia and president of Umno.

“Umno is a Malay party and champions the Malay community. Umno must be strong in defending the interests and demands of the Malays, if they want to remain relevant as Malay party and get strong support from the Malays,” said the Perkasa founder.

He warned the country’s leaders to be sensitive of issues affecting Islam, Malays and Bumiputeras.

“Any decision on policies affecting Islam, Malays and Bumiputera must be carefully considered. The heart and soul of the Muslim community must not be wounded. There can be no political security without the political power of the majority from the Muslim community,” he added.

Perkasa has been campaigning that NEM should not sideline the Malays and remains in line with Article 153 and the 10 parts contained within, the first of which makes it incumbent for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak.

Perkasa, which set up the MPM, expressed concern that the NEM would erase affirmative action policies and increase the monopoly of the country’s economy by the Chinese community.

Perkasa economic bureau director Dr Zubir Harun has said the movement feared that the NEM would have a Chinese agenda, and warned that the Chinese community would use the next general election to take over the country.

Najib, who is also finance minister, will receive the comprehensive NEM report from the National Economic Advisory Council (NEAC) at the Invest Malaysia forum next Tuesday.

He has said the NEM will be announced in two stages to include public feedback, before being included in the 10th Malaysia Plan being tabled this June.

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About Me

Mohd Kamal Abdullah frequently writes in Malaysiakini, MalaysiaToday and in the FORUM column of MALAYSIA CHAT www.malaysia-chat.com. Kamal holds a law degree and was active in Malaysian Politics (a component party of Barisan Nasional) until of late, to concentrate on pursuing a post-graduate law degree in United Kingdom.